The visitors were nowhere near their buccaneering best and were indebted to Gomes for a string of saves in the second half, but manager Harry Redknapp will be delighted with the gritty display from a side missing several of its best players.

It was also the perfect response to the north Londoners' humiliating 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Fulham three days earlier, which had threatened to send Tottenham's hugely promising season off the rails.

Much had been made of Spurs' burgeoning treatment table before the match, with Redknapp naming two goalkeepers on the bench, but it was one of the beneficiaries of Tottenham's injury problems who opened the scoring.

Only three minutes were on the clock when Crouch, recalled to the starting line-up, rose above Samba and directed Van der Vaart's pinpoint cross past Robinson to score his second Premier League goal of the season.

The gangly hitman's other strike was also against Blackburn back in November, and added to the double he scored at Ewood Park in Tottenham's victory there last season.

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Kean credits Spurs keeper Gomes

Rovers responded well to falling behind with the pacy Hoilett twice going close, first having a shot blocked by Vedran Corluka and then seeing Gomes tip his effort wide.

The visitors withstood the burst of pressure and the half soon descended into a scrappy affair as Spurs showed little inclination to add to their lead and Rovers, while enjoying plenty of possession, failed to trouble Gomes.

The closest they came was a fizzing David Dunn drive that flew narrowly wide and Ryan Nelsen's attempt to convert a Dunn free-kick, also off target.

The home side fashioned a better opportunity just after the restart, Diouf beating the offside trap and forcing a good stop from Gomes.

But the chance failed to herald an increase in the tempo of the match, which ambled along uneventfully until it was momentarily ignited by two fine pieces of play from Aaron Lennon.

The Tottenham winger made a surging 60-yard run from just outside his own box to the edge of Blackburn's area, where he slid the ball to Defoe whose effort was charged down well by Robinson.

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Redknapp says top four finish will be tough

Lennon then created a chance for himself, cutting inside from the left before unleashing a fierce right-footed strike that ex-Tottenham keeper Robinson did well to tip over.

It sparked Rovers belatedly into life, with Gomes called into action three times in a five-minute Blackburn bombardment.

The Brazilian keeper first turned Hoilett's 20-yard strike wide with a fingertip save, then made an even better stop to deny Diouf from 12 yards, before standing firm to beat away a Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick.

Spurs then appeared to be closing out the match comfortably until injury time, when Samba's goalbound header from Hoilett's cross was diverted just over the bar by a vital touch from Jermaine Jenas.

And there was still time for Keith Andrews to fire an effort straight at Gomes as Spurs clung on for a scrappy, but significant, victory.

Substitutes

Possession

Attempts on target

Blackburn9

Tottenham5

Attempts off target

Blackburn8

Tottenham1

Corners

Blackburn4

Tottenham4

Fouls

Blackburn14

Tottenham11

Final Result

90:00+3:28 The match has reached full-time.

Full Time

90:00+1:59 Header by Christopher Samba (Blackburn) from right side of penalty area (12 yards), blocked by Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham).
Corner from left by-line taken short left-footed by Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn). Shot by Keith Andrews (Blackburn) right-footed
from centre of penalty area (12 yards), save (caught) by Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham).

65:24 Shot by Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham) left-footed from left side of penalty area (12 yards), blocked by Christopher Samba (Blackburn).
Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) to far post, resulting in open play.

45:00+0:22 Foul by William Gallas (Tottenham) on Jason Roberts (Blackburn). Free kick taken right-footed by David Dunn (Blackburn) from
left channel, header by Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn) from centre of penalty area (12 yards), missed right.

38:23 Goal kick taken long by Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham). Foul by Peter Crouch (Tottenham) on Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn). Free kick
taken right-footed by Paul Robinson (Blackburn) from own half, resulting in open play.

37:34 Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by David Dunn (Blackburn) to near post, header by Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn)
from centre of penalty area (6 yards), missed right.

36:51 Goal kick taken long by Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham).

36:36 Shot by David Dunn (Blackburn) right-footed from centre of penalty area (12 yards), missed right.

24:53 Defending throw-in by Aaron Lennon (Tottenham). Foul by David Dunn (Blackburn) on Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham). Free kick taken
left-footed by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham) from own half, resulting in open play.

24:16 Defending throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

22:40 Foul by David Dunn (Blackburn) on Wilson Palacios (Tottenham). Free kick taken right-footed by Vedran Corluka (Tottenham)
from own half, resulting in open play.

20:00 Foul by Peter Crouch (Tottenham) on Keith Andrews (Blackburn). Free kick taken right-footed by Paul Robinson (Blackburn) from
own half, resulting in open play.

19:35 Attacking throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

16:33 Foul by Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham) on Keith Andrews (Blackburn). Free kick taken right-footed by Paul Robinson (Blackburn)
from own half, resulting in open play. Shot by David Hoilett (Blackburn) right-footed from centre of penalty area (12 yards),
save (tipped round post) by Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham). Corner from right by-line taken short right-footed by David Dunn (Blackburn).

16:12 Attacking throw-in by Vedran Corluka (Tottenham).

14:23 Corner from left by-line taken short right-footed by David Dunn (Blackburn). Shot by David Hoilett (Blackburn) right-footed
from centre of penalty area (6 yards), clearance by Vedran Corluka (Tottenham).

13:54 Attacking throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

13:32 Attacking throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

12:44 Attacking throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

12:06 Shot by Mame Diouf (Blackburn) left-footed from left side of penalty area (12 yards), blocked by Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham).

11:28 Attacking throw-in by Martin Olsson (Blackburn).

11:13 Attacking throw-in by Martin Olsson (Blackburn).

11:02 Attacking throw-in by Martin Olsson (Blackburn).

10:46 Attacking throw-in by Martin Olsson (Blackburn).

10:16 Defending throw-in by Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham).

9:52 Cross by Martin Olsson (Blackburn), resulting in ball out of play.

9:17 Goal kick taken long by Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham).

8:51 Cross by David Hoilett (Blackburn), resulting in ball out of play.

8:09 Handball by Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham). Free kick taken right-footed by Paul Robinson (Blackburn) from own half, resulting
in open play.

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